Toilet silencer



April 19, 1938. B. WINDING 2,114,551

' TOILET SILENCER Filed Oct. 5, 1935 2 sheets-sheet 1 Bead Windmg INVENTOR BYQQM ATTORNEY April 19, 1938. B. WINDING 2,114,551

TOILET SILENCER Filed Oct. 3, 1935 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Bead Wind 1' n9 INVENTOR ATTORNEY Patented Apr. 19, 1938 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE My invention relates to toilet constructions and particularly to improved seat and cover constructions for toilets which eliminate or reduce the objectionable sounds and odors incidental to the use of toilets and which maintain sanitary and healthful conditions in and about the same.

In my Patent No. 2,016,412, dated October 8,

1935, I have described a form of pad adapted to be applied to a toilet between the rim of the bowl and the seat to seal the space between the same and to silence the noise of flushing the toilet or dropping the seat. The device also embodies means to disinfect or deodorize the [5 toilet and the room in which it is located.

I have now devised improved constructions for similar use which may embody certain features of the invention of said patent together with other elements or which may be of wholly different form and construction, Thus, the present invention contemplates the use of sealing and sound insulating means not only between the seat and the bowl but also between the cover and the seat so as to completely enclose and seal the toilet bowl and prevent the escape of sounds and odors therefrom. This result may be attained by the use of sealing members adapted to be applied to and removable from the seat and cover. The application of disinfecting and deodorizing means to the toilet is also improved to permit the use thereof without impairing the sealing and sound insulating properties of the device and to enable-such materials to be used in greater amounts and in different forms to lend 5 itself to various applications.

One of the objects of my invention is to eliminate or reduce the sounds and odors incident to the use of toilets.

Another object of my invention is to provide 40 an attachment for toilet seats and covers which completely seals the toilet bowl and eliminates such sounds and odors.

Afurther object of my invention is to provide a sound insulating and sound deadening seal 45 between the seat and cover of a toilet as well as to seal the space between the bowl and the seat.

Another object of the invention is to disinfeet and deodorize toilets and/or the rooms in 50 which they are located.

These and other objects and features of my invention will appear from the following description thereof in which reference is made to the accompanying figures of the drawings where- 55 in typical embodiments of my invention are shown for the purpose of illustrating representative types of constructions in accordance with my invention.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a vertical sectional view through a seat and cover and the rim of a toilet bowl illustrating one typical form of my invention.

Fig. 2 is a view looking upwardly at the underside of the seat and cover of Fig. 1, taken on the line 2-2 thereof.

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary view of a portion of the seat construction shown in Fig. 1 with part thereof broken away.

Fig. 4 is a vertical sectional view through the seat of Fig. 2 taken on the line 4-4 of Fig. 3.

Fig. 5 is a view similar to Fig. 2 looking upwardly at the cover of the construction illustrated in Fig. 1.

Fig. 6 is a view of a seat similar to that of Figs. 1 and 2 having an alternative form of deodorant receiving means therein.

Fig. '1 illustrates a further alternative form ofsealing and deodorant receiving means embody ing my invention.

Fig. 8 is a sectional view of the construction of Fig. '1 illustrating details thereof.

Fig. 9 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view of the form of sealing means, shown in Fig. 8, shown as applied to a toilet seat.

Fig. 10 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view of the form of sealing means of Fig. 8 as applied to but not let into the seat or cover member by which it is carried.

Figs. 11 and 12 are a plan looking upward and a sectional view respectively of another alternative construction embodying my invention as applied to a seat cover.

Fig. 13 is a fragmentary view of the construction of Figs. 11 and 12 as seen from the side.

In that form of my invention selected for purposes of illustration in Figs. 1 to 5 of the drawings, the invention embodies a toilet seat 2 and cover 4 which may be of any suitable or usual construction and formed of wood, hard rubber, composition material or the like, as desired. The seat and cover are secured in position on a toilet bowl 6 by means of hinge mermbers 8 bolted to the rear of the bowl or otherwise attached thereto.

A sealing and sound insulating member I0 is positioned between the rim of the bowl 6 and the cover 2 to completely close the space normally provided between the same and as shown in Figs. 1 and 2 the member Ill extends about the entire rim oi the bowl so that odors cannot escape and sounds are muilled or deadened. In like manner, a sealing member I2 is located between the seat 2 and the cover 4 sealing the space between these members so as to provide a completely enclosed and sealed sound proof toilet from which objectionable sounds and odors cannot escape.

The sealing members l and I2 may be formed of any suitable sound insulating and sealing material but are preferably resilient and yielding and may be formed of soft rubber such as sponge rubber or may be formed partly of rubber and partly of other material or of soft and hard rubber or of any other composition and in any form adapted to provide a sound proof and odorless construction. The member "I may be secured to either the rim of the toilet bowl 6 or to the lower face of the seat and presents a continuous surface l4 for engagement with the opposing face of the seat or bowl. The surface I4 is preferably smooth and flat or otherwise formed to engage the opposing surface and provide a continuous seal. As shown in Fig. 2, the sealing member I0 is carried by the seat on the lower face thereof and the surface i4 engages the upper face of the rim of the bowl 6. While the members l0 and 12 are illustrated as formed as continuous members, they may if desired be formed in several pieces, as shown in Fig. 2, constructed and positioned to form a continuous surface when in use and under compression due to the weight of a person using the seat.

The member i2 is preferably carried by the lower face of the seat cover and extends about the rim thereof as shown in Fig. 5 in position to engage the upper face of the seat. The exposed face l6 of the sealing member l2 may be smooth and flat as illustrated or may be shaped to conform to the upper surface of the seat or may be otherwise formed to provide a complete seal between the seat and cover when the cover is lowered as shown in Fig. 1.

The sealing members I0 and i2 may be applied to the seat and cover by means of an adhesive or other suitable attaching means.

Ordinarily the rear of a conventional toilet seat is spaced a greater distance from the rim of the bowl than the front thereof and therefore it will frequently be desirable to form the sealing member so that it is thicker at the back than at the front. Similarly it may be desirable to form the sealing member l2 between the seat and the cover so that it will be thicker at the rear than at the front or so that it will conform to the upper surface of the seat.

In order that the toilet may be maintained in a sanitary and healthful condition and free from objectionable odors atall times, I provide either the seat or the cover or both with disinfecting and deodorizing means which may be carried by the seat or cover itself but preferably are carried by the sealing members as an element thereof or are positioned between the sealing members and the supports therefor. As illustrated in Figs. 1 and 2 recesses i8 are provided in the upper face of the sealing member i0 carried by the seat 2 so that sticks or pieces of solidified disinfecting and deodorizing material or a disinfectant carrier may be inserted therein. The recesses i 8 open into the interior of the toilet bowl below the seat so that vapors or fumes from the deodorant may escape freely into the confined space of the bowl. However, the recesses do not extend through to the outer edge of the sealing member so that odors and sound are prevented from issuing from the interior.

As shown in Figs. 1 and 5 the sealing member l2 carried by the cover 4 is similarly constructed with recesses 20 for the reception of disinfecting material to aid in maintaining a sanitary and wholesome condition in the interior of the toilet bowl.

In the construction of Fig. 6 I have illustrated a modified form of deodorant receiving means in the form of recesses 22 which are open to the exterior of the toilet bowl and serve to maintain a supply of disinfecting and deodorizing material for destroying odors in the room in which the toilet is located and about the same. These recesses may be formed or provided in the sealing member between either the bowl and the seat or between the seat and the cover or in both locations and, as shown in Fig. 6, they may be used in conjunction with similar deodorant receiving means 24 communicating with the interior of the toilet bowl.

With the construction described a very effective seal is provided for completely enclosing the interior of the toilet bowl so that noises incident to flushing the toilet are substantially eliminated, objectionable odors do not escape from the bowl and the space both within and about the toilet is maintained healthful and sanitary.

Referring to Figs; 7 and 8 of the drawings I have illustrated an alternative type of sealing means in the form of a tubular member 26 extending about the rim of the seat cover 2! in position to engage the upper surface of the seat and seal the space between the seat and cover. The member 26 may if desired be set into a recess formed in the cover as shown.

The sealingmember in this construction preferably is hollow and formed to receive a deodorant which may conveniently be in powdered or granular form. A suitable opening such as the slot 26 is formed in the member 26 near the front of the cover and apertures or holes 30 are provided in that portion of the member 26 near the rear of the cover. The apertures 30 communicate with the interior of the toilet bowl to permit the escape of fumes from the disinfecting material or the material itself for destroying odors and maintaining sanitary conditions within the bowl. This construction has the advantage of receiving a large supply of the disinfecting material and the material is continuously shaken down toward the apertures 30 and, if in finely ground form, is discharged into the toilet bowl as the cover is raised and lowered in the normal use of the toilet.

While I have described the construction of Figs. 7 and 8 as applied to the cover of a toilet it will be obvious that the same or a similar construction may be used between the seat and the rim of the toilet bowl, if desired, as shown in Fig. 9 and may be used when the same or other suitable means.

The form of my invention shown in Figs. 11, 12 and 13 of the drawings illustrates a further alternative construction of sealing means, particularly adapted for receiving a relatively large amount of deodorant and formed with a deodorant receiving space therein or between the sealing means and the cover. In this arrangement the sealing member 32 extends over. substantially the entire lower face of the seat cover 33 so that the marginal portion will engage the upper surface of the seat and seal the space between the seat and cover. The central portion of the member 32 is formed with a slot or opening 34 com unicating with a relatively large recess 36 for ed in the upper surface of the member 32 and closed by the cover 33. The lower or exposed surface of the sealing member is formed with apertures 38 communicating with the interior of the toilet bowl to discharge the disinfectant or fumes therefrom into the bowl.. Outwardly extending recesses 40 may also be provided for receiving disinfectant for the purpose of keeping the bathroom or space around the toilet in a wholesome and sanitary condition. This construction not only serves as a sealing member but when the toilet is used and the cover raised the sealing member serves as a yielding back rest due to the resiliency of the member 32.

The embodiments of my invention described above are adapted for use with and application to toilet seats of conventional construction and whether formed of wood, hard rubber or other material.

It will be noted that each of the forms of the invention herein described embodies means which cooperate with the toilet bowl, the seat and the cover to define a space which is completely sealed. Since the level of the water within the bowl is lowered and a certain amount of air is sucked down the soil pipe by the rush of the flushing water during the flushing operation, the sealing means of the present invention serve to cause a thus rendering the action thereof more efiective.

While I have herein referred in detail to a number of constructions in which my invention may be embodied, numerous changes and modi-.

flcations may be made in the form and construction thereof and therefore it should be understood that the types of my invention herein shown and described are intended for the purposes of illustration and are not intended to limit the scope of my invention. I

I claim:

1. In combination with a toilet bowl having a hinged seat and a cover therefor, means for completely sealing the interior of the toilet bowl comprising a sealing member located between the seat and the rim of the bowl and a second sealing member located between the seat and the cover, said members extending entirely around the toilet and closing the space between the seat and the rim of the bowl and between the seat and the cover and cooperating with the seat and cover and the bowl of a toilet to produce a partial vacuum within the interior of the toilet bowl on flushing of the toilet, and a deodorant receiving pocket formed in one of said members and communicating with the interior of said bowl.

2. Sealing means for toilets comprising a seat member, and a cover member, a resilient and yielding annular sealing means carried by one of said members and adapted to bear in continuous annular sealing relationship against the other member, a bowl, and a second resilient and yielding annular sealing means carried by said seat member and adapted to bear in continuous annular sealing relationship against the entire rim of the bowl, said sealing means cooperating with said bowl, seat and cover to cause a partial vacuum to be produced within the bowl when the toilet is flushed and deodorant material carried by one of said means and arranged to be subjected to the partial vacuum thus created whereby the deodorant is effectively communicated to said sealed space.

3. Silencing means for toilets comprising members formed of sound absorbing cellular rubber material in the form of annular rings of suflicient thickness substantially tofill the entire space between the rim of a toilet bowl and the seat therefor and the space between the seat and a cover therefor, said members when applied to a toilet seat and cover cooperating therewith to munle and absorb sounds incident to flushing of the toilet.

4. Silencing means for toilets comprising members formed of readily deformable sound absorbing cellular rubber material in the form of annular rings of sufficient thickness substantially to fill the entire space between the rim of a toilet bowl and the seat therefor and the space between the seat and a cover therefor, said members when applied to a toilet seat and cover cooperating therewith to completely seal a space defined by the bowl, the seat and the cover to cause a partial vacuum' to be created in said space during flushing of the toilet and to muffle and absorb sounds incident to the flushing thereof.

BESS WINDING. 

